1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to anchoring devices, and, more particularly, pertains to a portable device for anchoring a blanket in beach sand or soft earth.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Devices for anchoring beach blankets in beach sand or soft earth generally are known, but for one reason or another suffer from certain disadvantages. For example, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 262,514 discloses a multi-part device comprising a stake and an interfittable flat plate wedge in the shape of a heart for grasping the blanket between the bottom of the wedge and the top of the stake. Presumably, the stake is driven into the beach sand by applying might to the flat plate. Nonetheless, because of its multipart construction, this device is vulnerable to being misplaced and rendered inoperable and is expensive to fabricate.
Other solutions for maintaining a blanket relatively fixed on beach sand or soft earth comprise affixing various devices directly to the blanket per se. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,654,906 discloses a beach blanket with triangular-shaped corner pockets adapted to hold a quantity of sand therein. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,709,430 relates to a beach blanket having a tube sewn or otherwise contained in the border of the blanket. The tube is fitted with a liquid to provide weight means for maintaining the blanket relatively stationary on the beach sand or a lawn.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,903,626 discloses an auger having a pivotal head. In the horizontal position the head includes means for displaying a sign or other indicia and saves as a handle for screwing the auger into earth.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,185,424 shows a stake for use in indicating underground utility lines. The stake has a plurality of tapered webs disposed about its axis and an relatively small striking surface or head.